Aesthetic Activism: Desirée Bela-Lobedde Boleche

Desirée recognises that her blog has been widely praised, both professionally and in the field of communications, and attributes this to a combination of her personality and racial identity. The perseverance she demonstrated to develop the blog is one of her biggest achievements, she says, managing this time commitment along with her personal and professional life.

The success of Desirée’s blog has allowed her to attend conferences, in Cali, Colombia, for example, providing a more academic perspective on Afro hair. She’s hosted the Afro-Socialist Awards Gala for three consecutive years, and has given lectures on racism, prejudice and human rights at the University of Barcelona. However, she regrets the lack of support given to the Afro-descendant community; sponsors are often reticent, excusing themselves by saying that ‘this is a minority group’, without taking into account the social and economic benefits that greater integration offers.

I’ve really learned how to flip the scales

Desirée discusses several of her ongoing projects, including collaborations as a columnist for the online newspaper publico.es and on the ‘PlayGround’ platform, where she deals with aesthetic issues and topics related to the ‘racialisation’ and identity of people of African descent.

When asked about what inspired her to undertake these different projects, Desirée underscores the importance of keeping up to date with current issues that are relevant to the public; to remain open-minded; and to have a place to write down your ideas! Inspiration is fleeting; so when it appears, it’s important to take advantage of it.

Desirée’s work on race and the empowerment of black women has led to her being harassed on social media. But she moves ahead without letting these negative forces cloud all the positive work she’s done, which has greater value. One of the most important lessons she’s learned is how to deal with the criticism received on social media, something Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie discussed when asked a question on the matter during a visit Barcelona. “[The trolls] are nothing more than names on a screen, they are nothing more. They do not know who I am beyond what I share and what they interpret… I’ve really learned how to flip the scales,” says Desirée.

Nobody is stopping our energetic interviewee any time soon. With all the different projects she’s working on, she sends a message of support to those who hesitate before taking an initiative forward due to fear linked to their racial origins: “Do not be afraid to ask for help. For every path that you fear taking, there is always someone else out there who’s already walked along it and who can advise you.”